DEODORANT COMPOSITION

Abstract: A deodorant composition suitable for topical application to the human skin, comprising one or more acyl lactylates of general formula: (RCO-(O-CHCH3-CO)aO)b M, wherein RCO represents a C4 to C20 acyl group; M represents H or a cosmetically suitable counterion having a valency of 1 or 2; a is an integer of from 1 to 4, and b is 1 or 2, in a cosmetically suitable vehicle comprising water, ethanol, volatile silicones, or mixtures thereof.

Description: DEODORANT COMPOSITION This invention relates to deodorant compositions suitable for application to the human skin, in particular liquid, solid and aerosol compositions. Such compositions may be suitable for use when delivered from a roll-on dispenser, or from a pump action dispenser, or as a stick form, but most preferably from a propellant driven aerosol. The deodorant and antiperspirant market is dominated with products which are based on aluminium or zirconium salts, which are intended to prevent, or at least to control perspiration at the skin surface, particularly at the underarm, whilst at the same time providing a perceived degree of deodorancy. Whilst there are many known deodorant agents available to the skilled man to prepare deodorant compositions, there is still a demand for new deodorant compositions which contain conventional known deodorant agents (which may for example be organic, or based on metal salts) which have improved sensory or skin benefit properties. Such deodorant agents may not only have good efficacy in eliminating odour, but may also provide to the users skin such benefits such as moisturizing and skin elasticity benefits, thereby improving the usage properties of the composition. It has been found that a category of acyl lactylate compounds may provide these desir oie properties, including improving skin elasticity as well as providing a degree of deodorancy in deodorant compositions. Thus according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a deodorant composition suitable for topical - . application to the human skin, comprising one or more acyl lactylates of general formula; (RCO- (O-CHCH--CO)-O). M (1) Where RCO represents a C_ ; to C_ . , acyl group; M represents H or a cosmetically suitable counterion having a valency of 1 or 2 ,* a is an integer of from 1 to 4; and b is 1 or 2, in a cosmetically suitable vehicle. Preferably, the cosmetically suitable vehicle may comprise water, volatile silicone, short chain monohydric alcohol, or mixtures thereof. More specifically, the invention provides a deodorant composition for topical application to the human skin, comprising: (a) from 0.01 to 3% by weight of one or more acyl lactylates of general formula; (RCO- (O-CHCH -CO) ,0) „ M wherein RCO represents a C, to C : , 0 acyl group; M represents H or a cosmetically suitable counterion having a valency of 1 or 2; a is an integer of from 1 to 4; and b is 1 or 2; (b) from 0 to 60% by weight of a short chain C 2 to C 6 monohydric alcohol; (c) from 10 to 50% by weight of water; (d) from 0.01 to 2% by weight of a fragrance, in a cosmetically acceptable vehicle. When the composition is in the form of a propellant driven aerosol or pump spray formulation it is particularly preferred that the composition contains 35 to 50% of a short chain monohydric alcohol. Optionally, the composition may contain up to 1% by weight, more preferably 0.1-0.4%, of an emollient. A preferred emollient is Estol, ex Unichema. The composition may also preferably contain up to 1.5% by weight of a solubilizer, more preferably 0.3 to 0.7% by weight. A preferred solubilizer is Cremaphore RH410, ex BASF. The preferred short chain monohydric ethanol for use in the composition is ethanol; the short chain monohydric alcohol can more preferably be present in the composition at a level of 35-50% by weight. The fragrance can preferably be present in the composition at a level of 0.7 to 1.7% by weight. In addition, compositions according to the invention may comprise an additional deodorant active agent, to provide the composition with a deodorant effect over and above any deodorant effect provided by the short chain monohydric alcohol . In an aspect of the invention which is highly preferred when the product is in the form of a roll on lotion, the invention provides a deodorant composition for topical applications to the human skin, comprising: (a) from 0.01 to 3% by weight of one or more acyl lactylates of general formula; ( RCO- ( 0-CHCH . . -CO ) s O ) b M wherein RCO represents a C 4 to C 20 acyl group; M represnets H or a cosmetically suitable counterion having a valency of 1 or 2; a is an integer of from 1 to 4; and b is 1 or 2; (b) from 10 to 50% by weight of water; (c) from 0.01 to 2% by weight of a fragrance; (d) from 20 to 50% by weight of a volatile silicone; (e) from 0.2 to 3% by weight of a surfactant. A preferred acyl lactylate compound for use in deodorant compositions according to the invention is the iso C 18 variant; that is isostearyl lactylate, though preferred acyl lactylates are those where RCO represents a C 14 -C 20 group. If M in structure (1) is a counterion, then it is preferably chosen from alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, ammonium or substituted ammonium having one or more C, to C, alkyl or hydroxy alkyl groups, and may preferably be sodium. However, it is preferred form of the invention that the acyl lactylates are used in form of their free acids; that is to say that M in structure (1) is hydrogen. A preferred acyl lactylate is sodium monoisobutyl lactylate. The incorporation of the described acyl lactylates into deodorant compositions has been found to provide beneficial effects, in terms of improved skin condition. In particular, a build up of effect of acyl lactylates on the skin may be observed after repeated usage. Acyl lactylates are able to penetrate the stratum corneum where they are cleaved to release lactic acid. Improved elasticity of the epidermis can be one of the benefits of this treatment, along with improved moisture levels in the skin itself. Acyl lactylate compounds which are employed in deodorant compositions according to the invention may readily be prepared by conventional techniques known in the art. Many are also commercially available. Preferably the acyl lactylate compounds used in compositions according to the invention are present at a level of 0.001-10%, more preferably 0.01-3% by weight of the composition. The deodorant active which may be present in the composition may be any conventional deodorant active . The deodorant agent may for example be a soluble, insoluble or sparingly soluble metal salt. Examples of suitable salts include zinc oxide, zinc carbonate, zinc citrate, zinc laurate, zinc oleate, zinc orthophosphate, zinc silicate, zinc stearate, zinc tartrate, magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate, magnesium fluoride, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium laurate, magnesium myristate, magnesium oleate, magnesium palmitate, magnesium stearate, magnesium orthophosphate, magnesium pyrophosphate, and magnesium silicate. The deodorant active in the composition may also comprise an organic deodorant active such as triclosan, deousnate, or citricidal, to name a few. The amount of any additional deodorant active in the composition according to the invention is typically from 0-20%, preferably 1-15% by weight of the composition. The cosmetic vehicle used in compositions according to the invention may include any commonly used cosmetic vehicle material, in addition to the water and short chain monohydric alcohol found in the composition, and may include polyhydric alcohols, and volatile and non-volatile silicones, and conveniently forms the balance of the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the product form is a propellant driven aerosol, and the composition comprises in addition to the acyl lactylate and other essential components a propellant, which is preferably dimethyl ether. Preferably the propellant is present in such propellant driven aerosol compositions at a level of 20 to 80%, more preferably 40 to 60% by weight of the composition. Other suitable propellants include propane, butane, isobutane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide. Compositions according to the invention may also comprise other components typically found in such compositions, including; linear or cyclic volatile silicones, including polydimethyl siloxanes such as Dow Corning 344 Fluid and Dow Corning 345 Fluid, and volatile hexamethyldisiloxane such as Dow Corning 200 Fluid, non-volatile silicones, including polydimethylsiloxane such as Dow Corning Fluids. thickeners, such as clays, for example Bentone 38, and silicas, for example Aerosil 200, skin feel improvers, such as talc and finely divided polyethylene, for example Acumist B18, cosmetically acceptable vehicles, such as anhydrous ethanol and other emollients, gelling agents, such as stearyl alcohol or waxes, such as castor wax, perfumes, preservatives, and other cosmetically acceptable adjuncts conventionally employed in stick, roll-on, propellant aerosol and propellant-free spray deodorant products. In one preferred aspect of the invention, the deodorant composition may additionally comprise antiperspirant active levels of metal salts, such as aluminium and/or zirconium salts. Such active levels are typically 4 to 30% by weight of the composition. The composition according to the invention can also take the form of liquid or ε id products, each of which is suited to or adapted for topical application to the human skin. On convenient form of the product is as a solid stick, usually contained in a suitable holder to enable it to be applied to the area of the skin, particularly the underarm, where it is required. A further form of the composition of the invention is a lotion suitable for dispensing from a roll-on dispenser fitted with a ball valve, to enable the product to be rolled onto the skin in a conventional fashion. A further example of the composition of the invention is as a liquid composition suitable for dispensing with a finger operated pump spray or hand operated squeeze spray, to deliver to the skin a finely divided liquid spray, without the use of propellant gases. Examples The following examples further illustrate the invention; The following propellant driven composition was prepared: Example 1 Component % Dimethyl Ether 50.0 Acyl lactylate (iso C 18 ) 0.1 Demineralised Water 17.5 Fragrance 1.68 Cremaphore RH410 (Solubilizer) 0.5 Estol (Emollient, ex Unichema) 0.25 Ethanol to 100 The composition was found to provide good deodorant efficacy and skin moisturization. Example 2 The following pumpspray formulation was prepared, and was found to provide good deodorant efficacy and skin moisturization: Component %w/w Ethanol 50 .00 Water 47, .90 Fragrance 1. .5 Cremaphore RH410 (Solubilizer, ex BASF) 0.5 Patianic ISL (acyl lactylate, ex Rita Corporation) 0.1 Example 3 The following roll on formulation was prepared, and found to provide good deodorant efficacy and skin moisturization: Component Isostearyl isostearate (ex Aston) 7.5 Perfume 0.75 Antioxidant 0.1 Zirconal 50* 44.0 Dipropylene glycol 10.0 Tween 20 1.0 Water 12.0 Volatile silicone (DC3225, ex Dow Corni ■ng) to 100 * 50% solution of ZAG, ex Guilini

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A deodorant composition suitable for topical application to the human skin, comprising one or more acyl lactylates of general formula: (RCO-(0-CHCH : ,-CO) a O) b M wherein RCO represents a C, to C lu acyl group; M represents H or a cosmetically suitable counterion having a valency of l or 2; a is an integer of from 1 to 4, and b is 1 or 2, in a cosmetically suitable vehicle comprising water, ethanol, volatile silicones, or mixtures thereof. 2. A deodorant composition suitable for topical application to the human skin, comprising: (a) from 0.01 to 3% by weight of one or more acyl lactylates of general formula; (RCO-(0-CHCH : ,-CO) a O) b M wherein RCO represents a C. ; to C :o acyl group; M represents H or a cosmetically suitable counterion having a valency of 1 or 2; a is an integer of from 1 to 4, and b is 1 or 2; (b) from 0 to 60% by weight of a short chain C 2 -C 6 monohydric alcohol; (c) from 10 to 50% by weight of water; (d) from 0.01 to 2% by weight of a fragrance, in a cosmetically suitable vehicle. 3. A deodorant composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the composition comprises up to 20% by weight of an additional deodorant active. 4. A deodorant composition according to any of the preceding claims, additionally comprising antiperspirant active levels of aluminium and/or zirconium salts. 5. A deodorant composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the acyl lactylate is sodium mono isostearyl lactylate.

Inventors: EDWARDS CHRISTOPHER JOHN CARRU, GRIEVESON AILSA PAULINE HILARY, JONES CAMERON WILLIAM, EDWARDS, CHRISTOPHER, JOHN, CARRUTHERS, GRIEVESON, AILSA, PAULINE, HILARY, JONES, CAMERON, WILLIAM
Applicants: UNILEVER NV, UNILEVER PLC, UNILEVER N.V.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A61K7
IPC codes: A61K8, A61Q15